October is Domestic Awareness Month

25% … that’s 1 in 4 … women experience domestic violence in their lifetimes. Each year, 1,300 deaths occur as a result of domestic violence.*

Photography by Becca Snider Tally

Startling and heartbreaking isn’t it? Each year, Americans — male and female, rich and poor, white, black, brown — experience 2 million injuries as a result of domestic violence.*

In Arkansas, 420,000 women and 375,000 men have been victims of rape, stalking and/or physical abuse by an intimate partner at some point in their lives.**

October is Domestic Abuse Awareness Month. To mark this sobering occasion, on October 15 2015, Women’s Own Worth, W.O.W., hosted its second annual Wowapalooza at the Arkansas Governor’s Mansion. The organization was founded by Jajuan Archer.

Jajuan Archer founder of Women’s Own Worth.

In 2011, Archer experienced domestic violence and after being accosted at gunpoint by her ex-boyfriend, twice, she made the brave decision to leave that relationship. She established W.O.W. to help others who are experiencing or have experienced domestic abuse. W.O.W. offers emotional and financial support as well as individual and family therapy programs for victims of domestic violence.

Triple Threat

The evening included a silent auction and music by Triple Threat as well as presentation of the 2015 W.O.W. Woman of the Year award.

Kimberly Bell, a licensed, certified clinical social worker, was recognized as the “W.O.W. Woman of the Year for her outstanding commitment to helping those in need not only through Women’s Own Worth but through every avenue she sees a need.”

Kimberly Bell was recognized as the “W.O.W. Woman of the Year”

Bell said the work she does to help victims is well worth her time. “God has made room for my gift. He’s ‘got me, and He’s got you, too.’”

For more information about W.O.W., including how to get assistance or how you can help the 501(c)3, log on to womensownworth.com.

Angela E. Thomas

Angela E. Thomas, is an alumna of Little Rock Central High School and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She and her husband Daron have three adult children. The former editor of AY Magazine for more than a decade, Angela and Daron are traveling the country as she plans her next adventure.

L West Jr Designs

Facebook Feed

Congratulations Melinda Edwards Spradling, winner of 2 hour cleaning from MOLLY MAID of Greater Little RockFinal step, share and tell everyone they can win too with @ayisaboutyou by entering the word of the day at aymag.com/contests ... See MoreSee Less

Do you love movies? Do you want to know who the next Spielberg or Scorsese is? The next great director or actor could be from Arkansas. Then you need the Arkansas Shorts: A Night of Short Film Festival.

Find a new kind of freedom with 10 yoga classes from Yoga Studio of Little Rock1. Tag friends - the more you tag, the more entries for you!2. Go to aymag.com/contests and enter Contest Code: CAROLS.🎄🎁 Giveaway is Day 18 of AY Magazine’s 25 Days of Christmas. Keep watching for more great prizes! ... See MoreSee Less